Strong Men Can Cry Too
by Black Demon567
Summary: One-shot. Laguna reminices on his times with Raine and mourns of her death. Please R&R! Take pity on me!


From the members of I.D.I.O.T. (Incorrectly Damaged I.Q. Older Teens) **Black Demon567** brings you a tearful story, of President Laguna Loire's past and present.

This is the man behind the idiot, or, the mask. Laguna with a serious side. Yes, we all know it's scary.

Black: I'm totally winging this; I have no idea how long into the pregnancy Laguna left for Ellone... so we'll just say seven months, m'kay?

I am gonna be so pissed if Raine isn't the name of Squall's mom... I haven't played the game in a loooong time so bare with me.

_Oh, and these are like dreaming thingys!_

**_Strong Men Can Cry Too_**

**__**

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Uncle Laguna?" The intercom buzzed. "Are you done with those papers?"

"Vrooooooooooooooom." Laguna was childishly running around with a paper airplane held lightly in his hand. "May day, may day, we're going down!" Ellone could barely hear her Uncle and sighed at the sounds.

"Uncle Laguna! You must finish your work please!" Ellone said. "Quit acting like a child!"

In his office, Laguna stopped suddenly and dropped the piece of paper. He walked to his desk, trying to blurt out Ellone's last words. He pressed the button before she could yell at him again.

"I'm on it Ellone, why don't you go home for the night? I'll see you there." He said in a very serious tone.

"Uncle...Laguna...?"

"Don't worry about me, these files are as good as done!" There was silence on the other. Until...

"Okay, see you then." Laguna smiled weakly at the intercom and then frowned at the huge pile of paperwork. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He let his memories take the best of him, and Ellone's voice echoed in his head.

_"Uncle Laguna!!!! Come nd' play wit me!" The little brown haired girl giggled loudly. It was a heavenly sound. He ran over to her and picked her up, twirled her around and put her down. "Yay! Do it again! Again!"_

_"I don't think so Ellone... my leg's killing me."_

_"Aw... no more fun..."_

_"But, I can still tickle you!" Laguna unleashed a fury of tickling motions over the little girl. (A/N: And how horribly wrong that sounds!) She began to laugh uncontrollably until a woman's voice was heard._

_"Ellone! Laguna! Time for dinner!"_

_"Darn! Foiled my plans!" Laguna muttered only for Ellone to hear. She giggled. "Coming Raine!" He faced the toddler. "Race ya?" She happily nodded and took off. Laguna laughed and ran as slow as he could making the toddler win. "No fair! You cheated!" Ellone giggled, smiled, and then left. Laguna looked at Raine's pretty face._

_"Laguna... you must quit acting like a child." Laguna's happy grin faded away as Raine left his sight and into the pub._

He opened his eyes slowly. 'A child Raine...?' He looked at a picture of his son, Squall and his daughter-in-law Rinoa. They looked so happy together. Just like Raine and him were. He tried filling out some papers to get her off his mind.

"They're happy... so what?" Laguna said as he scribbled his name quickly down on the line.

He sighed. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

The male stood up and walked to his window, opening the shades to reveal a beautiful sunset over the horizon across the city of Esthar. His city. He was the president of it.

His eyes gazed then upon the picture of the couple again. 'Squall...'

Squall had never been to found of Laguna, thinking of him as an idiot, a total klutz, and not truly his father. Even with Rinoa pleading, he'd always try to find ways to get out of meeting with his father. Now, Laguna would never show that he was upset or anything so he'd put up a happy front in sight of the others, but truly deep down inside he'd be torn apart.

'He blames me for what happened to Raine...'

'Why shouldn't he? I would too.'

'Because of me, he doesn't have a mother.'

"Not in technical terms, but in a sense." He thought aloud. "But, then again if it weren't for me he wouldn't **be** alive." Laguna sat in his chair again and put his elbows on the desk and leaned into the palms of his hands.

"Raine... I wish you were here... I wish you'd be here to help me." He sniffed quietly. He tried doing more paperwork but five seconds into it he shoved it all away. "I can't do all of this alone." He took a deep breath. "I have a son that hates, no, loathes me, a country to run, and someone whom I loved, and still love dead."

He got up from the chair he couldn't tolerate sitting. He looked again to the beautiful city of Esthar the sun was almost gone. Hot droplets of tears formed at the bottom of his eyes.

_"Laguna! Look at that sun set!" Raine said in awe. "It's so beautiful."_

_"Just like you." He whispered into her ear. She blushed. They were sitting on a hill after a picnic-dinner thing, Ellone was already sleeping. "It's really something." They looked at it. He then pecked her on the cheek. "I love you Raine."_

_"I love you too, Laguna."_

"Why damn it!?" He yelled angrily. "Why did you have to die Raine!?" He pounded the wall a few times. "WHY!?" He hiccupped and sniffed a bit. "Why.... Raine...?" The tears were now overflowing to his chin and falling to the floor. The room was silent for what seemed like an eternity. "I can't live without you." He blinked a few seconds and then thought of something.

"Laguna... quit acting like a child..." He told himself between his moments of crying. Even strong men cry sometimes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Black: I know I made Laguna seem really girly... but, gimme the benefit of the doubt, I tried! Please, R&R! No flames! Constructive criticism is appreciated. Wow this was short...


End file.
